PA critic Nizar Banat dies during arrest by PA forces

Hebron (QNN)- An outspoken critic of the Palestinian Authority who had intended to run in parliamentary elections before they were cancelled earlier this year died during his arrest by PA forces early Thursday.

In a brief statement, the Hebron governorate said his “health deteriorated” when a force of the security services went to arrest him early Thursday.

It said he was taken to a hospital where he was later announced dead.

Nizar cousin, Mohammad Banat, told Quds News Network that around 25 Palestinian security forces stormed the home where Nizar was staying, blowing out doors and windows.

He added that they beat Nizar with an iron bar and sprayed pepper spray in his eyes before undressing him and dragging him away to a vehicle.

He said: “The announcement of his death in Alia was a ruse. They did not transfer Nizar to the hospital, nor did they transfer him to any of the security headquarters.”

“Until this moment, five hours after his death, we do not know the location of the body of our son Nizar.”

“The Palestinian Authority is hiding the body in order to manipulate the facts about his death.”

Mohammad and another cousin were present during the arrest.

Ammar Banat, the other cousin, said that no one contacted us to inform us about Nizar’s death. He said that a delegation from the family went to Alia Governmental Hospital, where the security services had announced his death, but did not find his body.

In early May, gunmen fired bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at his home near the West Bank city of Hebron, where his wife was inside with their children.

Nizar that time blamed the attack on President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, which dominates the security forces, saying only they would have access to tear gas and stun grenades.

“The Europeans need to know that they are indirectly funding this organization,” he told The Associated Press in May in an interview at a home where he was hiding out.

“They fire their guns into the air at Fatah celebrations, they fire their guns in the air when Fatah leaders fight each other and they fire their guns at people who oppose Fatah.”